Shaving apparatus for rotating ice blocks



Feb. 3, 1953 D. H. FLETCHER 2,627,377

SHAVING APPARATUS FOR ROTATING ICE BLOCKS Filed NOV. 4. 1949 l? ENN IsHfFLa-rcH ER TOKHEY.

Patented Feb. 3, 1953 `SHAVINGr APPARATUS FOR ROTATING ICE BLOC DennisH. Fletcher, Magrath, Alberta,` Canada Application November 4, 1949,Serial No. 125,638

not only diiiicult and hazardous but unsatisfactory from the standpointthat the chopped pieces are not uniform and vary considerably in sizeand shape to say nothing of wastage. Thus such pieces of ice are not inmany cases adaptable for the purposes required.

It is one of the objects of the present invention therefore 'to avoidand overcome the foregoing'and other objections and disadvantages byproviding a device of this character which will shave or cut ice from ablock in a uniform thick- Another object of .the present invention is toprovide la device of vthis character wherein the ice cut or shaved fromthe block may be varied or of a predetermined thickness.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a device of thischaracter in which means are `provided for feeding the ice block to thecutting mechanism.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device ofthis character in `which brake feed means are provided to control theoperation of the Yfeeding mechanism.

Yet Aanother object of the present invention vis to Aprovide a device ofthis character which is novel and simple in form, rugged innature andone that will .the more satisfactorily perform Vthe functions requiredof it.

Having regard to the `foregoing and other objects and advantages whichwill become apparent as the description proceeds and the details becomeknown, the invention consists essentially in the novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described in detail and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which:

`Fig. 1 is a front elevational. view of anembodiment of my presentinvention shown partly in section for purposes of illustrating theoperating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. l and is also shown `partly in section.

Fig. `3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4 isla plan view of the driving and gear mechanism shown in`separate form for purposes of clarity.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of mypresent invention is disclosed and wherein like numerals of referencedesignate corresponding parts in the different illustrations, thenumeral l5 indicates the ice shaver as a whole, I6 the operatingmechanism `generally and I'l the cabinet or stand within which themechanism is supported and operated.

The cabinet il may be constructed of any suitable material, butpreferably sheet metal, suitably braced and reinforced and closed onfour sides with the exception of frontal opening i8 which provides anentrance for the insertion of a block of ice and for the removal of icethat has been out `or shaved from the block.

A closure cover or cap I9 is provided Vfor the top of the cabinet andcarries therewith an integral skirt depending downwardly therefrom `asindicated at 2li and to which a bearing and shaft supporting housing isconnected.

Mounted substantially centrally of the cabinet and movable axiallytherein is the threaded or worm drive shaft 2l. This shaft is providedwith a spline slot or keyway 22 which extends throughout its length, theVpurpose of which is to .provide a driving medium for the shaft as willbe later referred to.

The drive shaft 2i extends through the bearing housing 23 and guidesleeve 24, the housing being secured to the skirt 20 of the cover memberby means of bolts, screws or like securing means.

Mounted on the shaft 2l and supported .on bearingsurface 25 of thehousing is worm gear 26, the worm gear being provided with a sleeve v2l.The interior wall of the worm and sleeve is provided with an inwardlyprotruding boss 28, the boss in turn being adapted to engage and slideas a spline or key in the slot 22 of the shaft 2l previously mentioned.From the foregoing it will be seen that while providing a drive mediumfor the shaft 2i, the shaft itself may be moved axially within the wormfor adjusting purposes.

The means for `driving the worm Z and shaft 2l includes a driving worm29 supported in suitable bearings 39 in the bearing housing 23. The end3l of the Worm drive shaft is connected to the motor drive shaft 32 ofmotor-33 by means of a coupling 34 while the motor is supported inoperative position on bracket 35, see Fig. 2.

Secured to the lower end of the drive shaft 2| inany appropriatemanneris an ice engaging disc or plate 36 while extending downwardly from theunder surface of the disc is a series of pointed, ice engaging fingers31.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the fingers 3l' are designed to penetrate intothe upper surface of the ice block 38 and form a firm grip between theblock 38 and the disc member 36 so that as the shaft and disc arerotated, the ice block is also rotated. Additionally, the upperextremity of the shaft 2l is provided with a hand wheel S9 which will belater referred to.

Arranged in the cabinet immediately beneath the ice engaging disc 36 isa horizontal supporting platform dfi. The platform is designed tosupport the ice cutting blade 4l as well as the block of ice. As clearlyillustrated in Fig. 1, the cutter blade 4I extends through therectangular slot of opening 2 in the platform and is adjustablymaintained in cutting position by means of a pair of thumb screws d3 andadjusting screw lid, the latter being adjusta'bly movable in theextension supporting arm d5 of the platform. From the description thusfar given, it will be seen that as the motor 33 is put into operation,the motor drive shaft operates worms ZQ-and 26 and rotates shaft 2|. Asshaft 2l is rotated, disc 36 with fingers Si rotate the ice block 38over the cutter blade fil to thus cut or shave a predetermined thicknessof ice from the base of the ice block, the cut or shaved ice droppingthrough opening L32 in the platform into a suitable receptacletherebeneath.

As ice is shaved from the base of the block 38, it becomes necessary tolower the shaft 2i with 3S in order to exert a downward pressure on theice being rotated over the cutter blade and for this purpose I provide anovel feed brake mechanism which will presently be described.

As clearly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, the feed brake mechanismincludes gear il operatively meshing with the teeth of threaded driveshaft 2l. The gear il is fixedly mounted on Shaft 48 and normallysupported for free rotation within the bearing housing 23.

Secured to one side of gear lll' is a brake drum 49 while looselyembracing the drum is a brake 'band lil. A threaded bolt or shaft 5lextends through the free upturned ends of the brake band as shown inFig. 1 and is engaged by an internally threaded sleeve 52. The outer endof the sleeve is provided with a hand operated thumb nut 53 whileinterposed between the end of the sleeve and the brake band is anexpansion spring Eli.

From the foregoing it will be seen that under ordinary circumstances thegear |37 is freely rotated by the rotation of the worm drive shaft v2|and the shaft 2| maintains a fixed height.

When however it is desired to feed the shaft 2l and disc downwardly toexert pressure on the ice block, the thumb nut 53 is operated by hand todraw the ends of the brake band toward one another and exert a 'brakingpressure on drum 49. The tightening of the brake band prevents rotationof the ygear il and consequently the gear being stationary, the shaft 2|through its spiral teeth gradually and automatically moves the shaft 2!and disc downwardly. When the shaft 2l has moved downwardly a sufficientdistance, the brake is released by the reverse rotation of the thumb nut53 when the shaft with disc 36 will maintain a fixed height untilfurther operated by the brake feed mechanism.

The brake shaft 48 of the gear il extends through the wall of thecabinet and is operated -manually from the exterior of the cabinet by 4means of hand wheel 55, the purpose of the hand wheel being to move theshaft 2l upwardly after it has reached the end of its downward movement.

In order to move the shaft and disc assembly upwardly, the motor isshut-off and the brake 5t released. The wheel 56 is then rotated by handwhich in turn rotates gear 4l and the teeth thereof being in engagementwith the teeth of shaft El, cause shaft 2i to move upwardly. The spiralteeth of shaft 2l in this instance act as a toothed rack while the gear41 acts as a` pinion. Thus when the gear 4l is rotated through themedium of the hand wheel 55, the shaft and disc assembly move upwardly.Should it become desirable or necessary, shaft 2| may be elevatedthrough the medium of hand wheel 39. It will be clear from the foregoingthen that the height and axial movement of the shaft 2i upwardly anddownwardly is controlled and maintained through the operation of thebrake feed mechanism.

In operation, a block of ice is placed on the platform ll after thecutting blade has been adjusted and the shaft and disc lowered throughthe brake means already described until the fingers 3f penetrate theupper surface of the ice block. At this point Aof operation, the brakefeed mechanism is released when the shaft 2l with disc and ice blockrotates at a fixed level or height. The rotation of the ice block overthe cutting blade ill causes the under surface of the ice to be shavedor severed, the shaved portions dropping through the elongated openingd2 into a suitable receptacle beneath the platform dfi. The brake feedmechanism is then intermittently applied and released to gradually feedthe shaft and disc downwardly until the required amount of ice has beenshaved or cut from the ice block 33.

When an ice cutting or shaving operation has been completed, the motoris shut-off, the brake mechanism released and hand wheel 56 manuallyrotated as previously described to move the drive shaft 2i upwardlyaxially in the cabinet to a desired level or height. A new block of iceis then placed on the platform ifi when the apparatus is ready to repeata further ice shaving operation.

Many changes may be made in the above and many apparently widelydifferent embodiments constructed without departing from the spirit orthe essential characteristics of the invention. The present disclosuretherefore is intended to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimitative sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

i. In a rotary ice block shaving apparatus for shaving ice from a blockof ice such as an ice cube, a supporting structure having an aperturedfront, a top cap on said supporting structure, an externally threadeddrive shaft mounted through an opening in said top cap on asubstantially vertical axis to be rotatable and axially endwise movable,said shaft having a spline slot along one side, a drive gear endwiseslidably fitted on said drive shaft and provided with a spline slidablein said spline slot, power means to rotate said drive gear, asubstantially flat ice supporting platform mounted on the supportingstructure in sub-stantially horizontal relationship to be accessiblethrough the apertured front of the supporting structure for placement ofa block of ice, an ice engaging and holding disc xed on the lower end ofthe drive shaft, an ice shaving knife carried by said ice supportingplatform in substantially radial disposition with respect to the driveshaft, a feed gear mounted rotatably on the supporting structure withthe teeth thereof in racking engagement with the screw threaded outersurface of the drive shaft, means to rotate said feed gear, and means tolock said feed gear xedly to cause endwise feed of the threaded driveshaft as said drive shaft is rotated.

2. In a rotary ice block shaving apparatus for cutting shaved ice from ablock of ice such as an ice cube comprising a supporting structurehaving an apertured front, top cap on said supporting structure, anexternally screw threaded drive shaft mounted through an opening in saidtop cap in substantially vertical disposition, for rotational and axialendwise sliding movement, a spline groove extending longitudinally ofsaid drive shaft, a drive gear rotatably carried by the supportingstructure and having the drive shaft axially slidable therethrough, a,spline on said drive gear slidable in the spline groove ofthe driveshaft, a substantially flat platform mounted Within the supportingstructure above the bottom thereof in substantially horizontaldisposition to be accessible through the open front for` placement andreception of an ice cube, said platform being provided with an elongatedpassage-therethrough disposed substantially radially with respect to thedrive shaft, an ice shaving knife adjustably mounted in said opening topresent a cutting edge above the upper side of said platform, a manuallyoperable shaft rotatably carried by the rotating structure on an axissubstantially at right angles to the axis of the drive shaft, a feedgear xed on said manually operable shaft With its teeth meshing with thescrew threaded outer surface of the drive shaft after the manner of arack, and manually settable and releasable brake means for locking saidfeed gear against rotation and releasing said gear for rotation throughthe manually operable shaft.

DENNIS H. FLETCHER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

